Long Bay or Half Moon - Snorkeling

[lawtyger]

We are two experienced snorkelers looking for the best FROM SHORE snorkeling in Antigua. We won't have any children with us so we are not limited by needing the kid friendly type of snorkeling (easy entry, calm water, sandy beach, etc.) we are looking for excellent reef, structure, snorkeling.

 

I've read about Long Bay Beach and it seems fairly recommended although I saw a few "it's o.k. snorkeling" comments which is why I was hoping to hear from an experienced snorkeler or two as to whether Long Bay Beach is the BEST place to go.

 

Here is a picture of Long Bay - http://maps.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&FORM=LMLTCP&cp=17.098591~-61.684746&style=h&lvl=16&tilt=-90&dir=0&alt=-1000&phx=0&phy=0&phscl=1&encType=1

 

There's a white looking beach with some interesting rock/reef towards the middle south of the picture/bay. Is this the beach that you can get dropped off at? Looks like some interesting areas to explore.

 

If anyone has snorkeled BOTH Long Bay Beach and Half Moon Bay please let me know your thoughts on how each compares. If you been to both but would suggest somewhere else, I'd also be interested in hearing that too.

 

Thanks for any info!

[lawtyger]

Actually, in the link w/picture I posted, I may have been confused about where Long Bay Beach was. Can someone verify that it is the beach and reef that has the very large resort looking area with the red roofs?

[MTV43]

Actually, in the link w/picture I posted, I may have been confused about where Long Bay Beach was. Can someone verify that it is the beach and reef that has the very large resort looking area with the red roofs?

 

We were at Long Bay beach past June. Looking at our picture taken at LB, the background is a spread out resort type with red roofs, so I think it is. Our tour guide dropped us right at the far end right side of the resort. So if you look at the map, the road leads to the ocean and turn right, that the beach we snorkeled.

 

I am also an experienced snorkelers. LB has OK snorkeling, very easy entrance into the water and the reef is very shallow. After passing through the shallow area, there is a deep area but I did not have the time to explore it. We were there on a cruise ship day, that morning it rained hard so we did not hit the beach until 1:00 pm. We had not been to HMB, cannot make the comparison. Antigua is not a best place for snorkeling, but LB has nice beach with OK decent will keep you busy for few hours. If you are cruise ship passenger and cannot decide between the two, ask several tour guides and some of the sellers around the port for their recommendation and go with the most suggestions.

 

MTV

[Karysa]

I have been to both and have not found either to be very interesting for snorkeling.

Karysa

[Antiguan]

neither have amazing snorkeling but long bay will be less choppy and easier for the average snorkeler unless there is unusually calm conditions. Half moon is rough most of the time.

[lawtyger]

Thanks for the above replies. I'm typing from my phone so for now I'll keep it short. . . but is there excellent snorkeling in Antigua anywhere else?

 

We'd definitely choose Long Bay over half moon but the description of just "O.K." snorkeling has me craving more. Perhaps a boat snorkeling excursion (non-ship of course).

[Karysa]

Thanks for the above replies. I'm typing from my phone so for now I'll keep it short. . . but is there excellent snorkeling in Antigua anywhere else?

 

We'd definitely choose Long Bay over half moon but the description of just "O.K." snorkeling has me craving more. Perhaps a boat snorkeling excursion (non-ship of course).

 

Maybe someone else can provide you with more details but I have heard that a gentleman runs an excursion in a glass bottom boat from Dickinson Bay Beach out to a reef about 30 minutes away for snorkeling. For some reason I keep thinking the the reef is called Paradise Reef. Someone please correct me if I am incorrect. I believe he is situated past the Halcyon Resort towards the cliff and not towards Sandels Resort. I have heard that the reef was in pretty good shape in 2007.

Karysa

[lawtyger]

I have been to both and have not found either to be very interesting for snorkeling.

Karysa

 

Karysa, what did you find disappointing? Lack of fish, dead coral, etc.?

[lawtyger]

LB has OK snorkeling, very easy entrance into the water and the reef is very shallow. After passing through the shallow area, there is a deep area but I did not have the time to explore it. . . but LB has nice beach with OK decent will keep you busy for few hours.MTV

 

Perhaps the deep area will prove interesting. To be realistic, I realize that none of our ports will provide a Roatan type experience for from shore snorkeling. Thus, O.K. snorkeling will still be a good time if there are things to explore. I always seem to run into fun stuff like turtles, nurse shares, spotted rays, etc. I'm find something cool at Long Bay I'm sure.

[Karysa]

Karysa, what did you find disappointing? Lack of fish, dead coral, etc.?

 

Exactly. It was overcast and a little choppy the day we went to Long Bay and I did not go out to the far reef. It is quite a swim and I would really want a spotter out there with me. I never saw anyone come back to the beach with that look of wonder on their face, that I remember having when I swam with the nurse sharks and sting rays in Belize. With that said I still think that the most beautiful coral and prettiest fish I ever saw were in Antigua in 1992. Maybe someone can tell you what Cades reef looks like now or if there is a snorkeling trip out to the sunken ship in deep bay. We went on that excursion on our HM in '92 and the ship was very near the surface and the fish were plentiful and colorful. When we were vacationing in Antigua in 2007 I was told that the tour boat the Jolly Roger" had run aground on the beach in Deep Bay a year or so before. I had heard that there was a replacement boat in the Jolly Harbor getting fitted to do this excursion. We met a family on our last trip that did an excursion to cades reef and they seemed to enjoy it but when the lady told the man driving the boat how nice the reef and fish were she said he looked like he was going to cry. He said "You should have seen it before".

I have seen it before and you can not help but compare experiences. My first trip abroad and snorkeling was in Antigua, on my HM back in 1992 and I was one of those people that came out of the water with that look of wonder and amazement on my face.

Karysa

[saturdaysailing]

neither have amazing snorkeling but long bay will be less choppy and easier for the average snorkeler unless there is unusually calm conditions. Half moon is rough most of the time.

 

Where do you recommend snorkeling? Doesn't matter if it is an excursion. I would rather not spend the whole day, do we can get back on board to enjoy freebies. But, if it's better than St. John's, Nassau, Belize, etc... We'll do whatever. Have heard that Monserrat is excellent snorkeling? My hus. has been disappointed at the sites we've snorkeled. Wants to see a really healthy reef. If it's not to be found, we'd rather just go to beautiful beach, maybe ferry over to Barbuda? Suggestions, please.:D

 

Carol

[TheVegasMan]

As others have said, the snorkeling at Long Bay is so-so. When I was there in December the water was very smooth. The water out by the reef was quite shallow. Someone that does not know how to control their bouyancy (Something that is taught when you learn to scuba dive) could be injured if they were to be thrown against the coral.

[LEESRE]

For those that have been to Long Bay recently does it have any facilities, ie bathrooms etc.

 

Thanks

[lawtyger]

Yes, there are facilities. There's a couple beach bar type outfits as well as a nice hotel on the beach. I believe the hotel is intended for guests only but we had no problem walking around it and up a path to a wedding gazebo overlooking the bay which down the path had yet another drink/food hut (which actually gave me a free coke).

[aczi16]

I somewhat have the same difficulty, but between Paradise Reef and Johnsons Point. I have heard that Long Bay has a nice place to snorkel about 100' out, and then maybe even more 250'-400'. I am a more close/on shore snorkeler so I decided not to go with this. There MIGHT be SOME snorkel spots on shore, but i haven't read anything about it.. I was thinking about Half Moon bay..but i dont really know a lot of information on it yet. So if you had to choose between only LB and HMB i would choose HMB but its up to you. I would suggest to look into Johnsons Point and Paradise also if you cant decide.:D

[mcmarya]

I was at Long Bay last week and found the snorkeling to be fairly interesting. It was a little wavy that day so I did not go way out, but saw lots of fish in the area fairly close to shore. The trickiest part was getting back to shore as some of the reef is quite close to the surface so you have to look for pathways through it. There is some live coral but a lot is dead as it seems to be most places these days. I saw a barracuda and tons of the usual fish--very large school of blue tang, etc. The water was not as clear as the water was in St. Thomas and St. Croix but still pretty clear and tons clearer than when we were at Turner's beach 2 or 3 years ago when you could not see anything.

 

It is a ways to Long Bay--we did the bus and walked the rest so I don't know how much the cab fare is. The beach is absolutely gorgeous with beautiful water and white fine sand. We will definitely return.